Rob McElyea:  

CLASS OF 1977
Rob McElyea's Classmates® Profile Photo
Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, FL

Rob's Story

My high school years were split evenly between Forrest and Ed White. I graduated from Ed White in '77. I think I was an athlete. I was a swimmer, enjoyed skateboarding, surfing, wrestling, running cross country, football and foosball. Immediately after graduation, I left home by enlisting in the Marine Corps. I married Karen Carter, from Forrest HS, class of 78. We have 2 sons, who are married and provided us with 5 beautiful grandchildren, 3 boys, 2 girls. I retired after 22 years from the Marines in July 1998 and decided to hike the Appalachian Trail. On July 4th, I started my journey from Maine to Georgia. It was a journey of a life time. I enjoy long distance hiking and have over 4000 trail miles completed. My employment was rocky last year. I was laid off twice for a combined total of 5 months. The only other time I was "off" this long was when I was hiking. Thank God for my military retirement and for being a gracious God, who can provide all our needs. In October 2008, I returned to my former employer of 9-years, as a sales manager, for a regional warehouse, distribution and transportation provider. I was laid off from BMW, where I was a test driver. Karen and I have a vision for a Christian Family Campground (PROMISELAND), in Asheville, NC. And we are committed to retiring in 5-years and beginning the final leg of life's journey at our mountain family camp. I always wanted to be a mountain man when I grew up. My family and friends never knew this about me. My favorite movie is Jeremiah Johnson. As it turns out, I am a mountain man and will live out my life in my promised land. I like to hike, similiar to Forrest Gump when he started running. I met my first crush, on her 12...Expand for more
th birthday, February 14th. She is and will forever be my Valentine. I have loved her since I first saw her. She is my soul mate. Sometimes, we don't know what we have. I know what we have is blessed by God and I am one lucky man. I just hope my wife doesn't find out. Just kidding, it is my wife. Lol. The one person from my past who I'd most like to see again is Vern Fewox, because he is and always will be my best friend. Just haven't heard from him in 20 plus years now. I have always kept up with him through his family. My best friend (wife) would tell you I'm extremely confident, but people who don't know me very well would probably describe me as cocky and arrogant. She may also tell you I am not a very nice person. I respond to her by saying, "The Marines were not looking for nice guys, but a few good men. I am a good man." My dress style is relaxed and casual. Yep, still loving jeans, and sketchers. In HS, I had poor boy style. Now, I have "my wife buys my clothes" style. The weirdest job I've had was in 1980, I work the Mariel Boatlift in Key West Florida. The Incarcerated Cubans were permitted to enter the U.S. by President Carter. I worked the grave yard shift and controlled the criminally insane. Probably got the job because I'm not a very nice guy. I share my home with my beagle Maggie Drawers, which I find dog hair very annoying. I have a 300 # Hog head on the wall. I like hunting deer, bear and hogs. My becoming a mountain man, would likely be a surprise to most of my classmates. My first job was at my Pop's auto shop, where I usually got paid 20 dollars a week, to buy gas. What I remember most about it is my old Chevy truck used 21 dollars a week. I continually ran out of gas.
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Photos

Appalachian Trail, Oct 98
Old Man
My sons and their wives.
Me and Jr's car
Christmas 2007
My eldest son, Jeremy and his family
Wife and her Brothers
Rob and 2 sisters
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